Brave skydivers to take plunge for Caoimhe fund

It might be one of the few occasions when the Royals co-operate with the Dubs in a common cause, but a charity parachute jump to take place next month will put them "in the same field". Thirteen intrepid Meath and Dublin men and women, most of whom have never before jumped from a plane, will take a 10,000 feet dive in a good cause when they gather at Birr Airfield on 8th October next. It's all aimed at helping five-year-old Caoimhe Duffy from Navan to walk. Caoimhe has cerebral palsy. She was born 11 weeks prematurely and, as a result of complications, is unable to stand on her own or walk without assistance and needs a wheelchair when going any distance. Caoimhe is an exceptionally bright, independent and determined little girl who loves attending junior infants at Cannistown NS in Navan. Fundraising has been going on to send Caoimhe to the USA for a life changing operation called selective dorsal rhizotomy. It costs approximately €50,000 and will result in her having much better balance, dramatically reduce the spasticity in her legs and eliminate the need to wear leg splints on a daily basis. The operation will allow her to independently get around with a walking aid but, without the operation, it is likely she will be permanently wheelchair-bound from the age of 10. As part of the fundraising drive, Tara Duffy and Daniel Farrelly, two of the parachutists, are organising a Pirates and Princesses night in the Cross Guns Pub, Castletown, this Saturday night. To help raise more funds for Caoimhe's treatment, the skydive is being done by Tara and Daniel, from Castletown; Katie Maguire, Trim; Geoff Keogh, Dublin; Brian Fleming, Kingscourt; Brian McGahon and Paul Reilly, Shercock; Martina Carolan and Rose Tobin, Meath Hill; Johnny Cranny, Moynalty; Adrian Lawlor, Dublin; Bernard McPhillips, Carlanstown, and Rachel McCormill, Kingscourt. Tara Duffy, a special needs assistant at Castletown National School, said: "Myself and Daniel agreed that, instead of us doing separate fundraising efforts in the same area, we would have a joint fundraising night in the Cross Guns. Our target is €500 apiece, part of which has to go for the jump itself and the remainder to the Caoimhe fund. We're holding a big raffle so we hope that everybody will turn up for a hit of fun on Saturday." Dolores Morris, who is helping out with organising the parachuting event, said that fundraising has been going on for some time and it was hoped to reach the target of €50,000.